The Night Before
by onamonapia
Summary: The night before her thirteenth birthday, Numbuh 86 reflects.


5 years. And then it was all over.

Fanny sat at the edge of an abandoned bridge, looking over a little creek.

5 years in the Kids Next Door.

5 years wiping all memories of childhood.

And the next day would be her turn.

Most of her friends had been decommissioned: Numbuh 362, most of Sector V, most of the team she'd led for years. Most of them were gone. Only Numbuh 3 and Numbuh 4 were left, and she wouldn't necessarily consider them _friends_.

And that's why, instead of spending her last day of childhood with her friends, she spent it reflecting.

* * *

"Whatchat doin'?"

She turned around quickly, nearly losing her balance and falling into the water.

Of course, it was Wally. Of all people, he was probably the _last_ person she wanted to spend her last night as a kid with.

"None of your business, boy."

"Tomorrow's your birthday! You should be partying!"

"With who?" she snapped back. "Everyone I know is a _teenager_."

Wally paused before sighing. "Yeah, I get that." He took a seat next to her.

"What are you doing?"

"You look lonely. I'm lonely."

"Ugh. Stupid boy." She shook her head. "How are the new recruits in Sector V looking?"

He shrugged. "They suck."

"Yeah."

Talking about Kids Next Door business was a weak attempt at normalcy. She would have no recollection of this in the morning, and Wally only had a couple of weeks left.

Not that talking to Wally was a normal thing she did.

"Do you remember what happened when I decommissioned you that one time?"

Wally turned to look at her. "Uh, all I remember is thinking that everyone and everything was nuts."

"Did you remember the rest of your team?"

Wally shook his head. "I mean, I kind of knew their names from school and stuff, but nothing else."

"Damn."

"Already sounding like a teenager."

"Shut up, boy!"

She was amazed at how much he'd grown up since she'd met him. She remembered when he was 10, loud and boisterous. He'd mellowed out, especially when most of his best friends became teenagers.

"Do you ever talk to your old sector members?"

"Never. Do you?"

"No." She chuckled. "I'm not even going to remember this conversation."

Wally smirked slightly.

"I'm going to go to school, and become a friendless loser tomorrow."

"Like you weren't already one."

"Shut up!"

"I mean, all your friends were decommissioned. Same with me."

"You still have Numbuh 3."

"Barely. Besides, she's a _girl_."

"I'm a girl!"

"Yeah, but at least you like cool stuff, and not Rainbow Monkeys or some crap."

She sighed and pulled her legs up. "Tomorrow, I'm not going to be interested in any kids stuff anymore. I'll have to start focusing on my future."

"And what do you want to do? Like, when you grow up?"

She shrugged. "No idea. Probably take over my dad's company or something. I don't know. Do you have any idea?"

Wally shrugged and leaned back. "I have a stupid dream. Won't happen, though."

"Well, what is it? It's not like I'm going to remember."

"I kind of want to be a doctor."

"You're too stupid for that!"

"Yeah, I know."

"You never did anything medical in the Kids Next Door either."

"Yeah."

"So, why?"

He shrugged. "You know my mother has cancer?"

She raised her eyebrows. "I had no idea!"

He nodded. "Got it when I was eleven or so. It's still there." He sighed. "I guess I just want to help other people going through the same thing."

"Is she going to survive?"

Wally shook his head. "Odds aren't great. But we're hopeful."

The way his voice trailed off at the end suggested otherwise.

"I'm so sorry."

He didn't respond, just stared into the water.

"If it's any help, I think your dream is noble."

"Thanks. But it's not going to happen."

"Maybe teenaged you will become a bookworm."

He snorted. "The only reason I passed elementary school is because of Abby. I'm near failing without her."

"I doubt that."

"I have dyslexia and ADHD. Not a great combo for school."

"I didn't know that either."

"There's a lot you don't know about me."

"Apparently." She sighed. "And I won't know anything about you tomorrow."

Wally nodded. "Yeah. And I won't know anything about you in two weeks."

"I can see why people escape decommissioning now. This is awful."

Wally nodded in agreement.

"Have you written a bunch of notes? Just to remind yourself after your birthday?"

"I've written tons. They're all over my room."

"Me too. But I won't understand half of them I bet."

"Yeah, I'll probably look at them and be like, 'Since when was I ever friends with those people? When did we do _that_?'."

"Yeah. Look at Numbuh 362 now. I would _never_ be friends with her. All cheerleader-y and popular."

"Or Numbuh 2. All gross and nerdy. Probably hasn't seen the sun since his birthday."

"Wasn't he already like that?"

"Yeah, but at least he showered back then."

Fanny laughed. "You're so mean!"

"I wasn't a bully in elementary school because I was nice," he retorted.

"At least you're better than Numbuh 60. He's so cruel now."

He nodded. "At least Abby is still nice and cool. Basically the same person."

"Have you talked to her?"

He shook his head. "We don't have any of the same friends or anything in common anymore. It'd just be weird."

"Too bad."

"Yeah."

They spent a few minutes in silent solitude before Fanny checked her watch. "I need to get home," she said.

"Me too. No dramatic confessions of love this time?" Wally teased.

She gasped. "You remember that?!"

"Of course I do."

"Gah!" She turned bright red.

"Don't worry. I'll forget it in two weeks."

She smiled sadly. "And I'll forget it tomorrow."

"Happy birthday, Fanny."

"Good night, Wally."


End file.
